The Adventures of Pan and Jillian
by flyawaymydarlings
Summary: Another telling of the classic Peter Pan. This set before Wendy, with another girl, Jillian. A series of mishaps and adventures. Hopefully to be continued in other stories, up to Wendy era and after. So please, sit, stand, or fly, as you go through my imagination of the how the boy who never ages came to be the one, the only, Peter Pan.
1. Prologue

Peter Pan is a story, many generations know. It's one been told throughout time, in many ways,none more right or more wrong. Here is simply another version, another take, another look on the story, that, when believed in strong enough, is more than just a story. Here, I present to you, is another adventure of Peter Pan.


	2. The Meeting

Alone. He'd been alone, for a long, long time. Ever since he was a baby, he assumed. He was bundled up in a corner of a dark alleyway, an area that no sane person would travel down at night, for fear of the unknown. That's why he wasn't quite sure how to react when he was tripped over. It was a girl, who looked about his age, so of course, once he found her age, he would make sure he was a year older. He didn't get a chance to ask though, as the girl quickly hauled him up, and was dragging him along.

"What are you running from?" He tried as he was tugged along, only to be answered with a quick, "Sh!" So they traveled along in silence, through the damp and dreary streets of London. It was the time of night where only the drunk or homeless were about, so the children's scuttering was making quite a bit of noise.

Now, the boy was quite good at running, and used to going fast, but he had hiding spots picked out all over for when he got into a bit of trouble. However, they had been going a long time, and she showed no sign of stopping. He couldn't run forever, and had been letting her be in charge for quite long enough. He stopped suddenly, and pulled from her grip, taking her wrist instead. "This way." She began to protest, but he cut her off by taking off. As they ran down the cobblestone, he glanced back at the girl. She had a long, dark mass of hair, and wasn't wearing shoes. The girl wasn't like him, though. She had a felt rope around her neck, hiding what was chained to it by a mint green nightgown. It was nice enough, and well kept, minus some dirt and mud that was newly caked to the bottom. He quickly stopped outside one of his normal hiding spots, underneath William's Barber Shop, an old, rarely used storage area, that was accessible from the outside by a small, cracked window.

He dropped her hand and slid into it. "Come on!"

The girl cast reluctant look behind her. She didn't want to be cornered. "Come on!" He called again in the same urgent, but hushed tone. She took a breath, and squirmed in, her nightgown getting a bit caught, and tearing, a piece being left on the window ceil. After he had reasonably caught his breath, the boy decided it was time to get some answers.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Jillian." Jillian panted a bit. "Jillian… _Hand. _And yourself?"

That caused the boy to pause. He had never been asked his name before. "I'm asking the questions." He sneered.

"It's only a name." She said, in defense.

"A name holds much to it. I can't go giving mine out to just anyone, especially someone like you."

"Someone like me?" Jillian repeated, offended.

"Someone running away at this time of the night, all by herself seems like someone who is trouble." He explained curtly.

"What- _who_ I was running from is none of your concern."

"It is when you drag me along." He countered.

"I simply meant to keep you safe."

"Why?"

"Why?" The thought hadn't occurred to her.

"People don't just do things for other people."

"That's horrible. Of course they do."

"They do not." He argued stubbornly.

"You sound like a whining child."

"I do not." He said in the exact whiney tone as before, which caused Jillian to raise an eyebrow with a smirk. "Shut up." He mumbled.

"I can't stay here." She said suddenly. "If he can come here, then here is less safe than there." She mumbled.

"What are you going on about?" The boy curled the side of his mouth, scrunching one nostril slightly, trying to look tough. The girl- Jillian confused him, and he didn't like being confused.

"Do you have a family, boy?"

The question silenced him. He didn't like this girl much. "Of course I have a family. Everyone has a family." He said finally.

"One you live with?" She knew the answer, by the state of his clothes, the dirt packed on his skin and hair.

"I ran away. My parents were fools." He huffed. He couldn't remember why, if he was honest, but that seemed like a good enough reason as any.

Jillian's face softened. She tugged her at her necklace, revealing a pan flute tied to the end. "Would you like to come with me, boy?" She asked quietly, an air of mystery revolving the question, an unreadable, but exciting glint in her eyes. He didn't answer.

"What's your name?" She stared at him intently, with some new-found urgency.

"I already told you-"

"_What is your name?_"

"Pan." He said automatically, realizing afterwards she would know it was a lie. Jillian glanced at her flute, confirming. Pan was glad it was dark, he could feel heat rushing to his cheeks. "A wonderful name." She decided, comforting him. They both knew she wasn't fooled, but if she was willing to go along with it, so was he.

"Where do you plan to go?" He didn't mean it to be, but his voice came out quiet and hoarse.

It was Jillian's turn to be silenced. After a moment, she blew a tune into the flute, before finally responding. "Neverland."


	3. Do You Believe In Magic?

"Neverland?" Pan repeated blankly.

"Neverland." Jillian verified.

"What's that?" He asked slowly. He wasn't good with places, true, but he had never heard of no 'Neverland' before, he didn't think. Even if he had, he didn't see what blowing in that flute had to do with anything.

"It's… It's an island. A wonderful place… It can be wonderful, full of color and magic." There was an adventurous glint in her eyes, fondness of her memories taking over.

Pan stared at the girl for a while, cocked head and furrowed brow, prompting her to ask, "What?"

"You're an absolute looney."

"_What_?" She repeated, offended.

"Going on about magic and playing your flute and runnin' away from- from what even? 'S probably nothing, I tell you. You're barmy. Mad. Off your rocker, all that."

"I am not!" She looked ready to hit him. "Just you wait, there's fairies coming, and when they get here, you'll have to take it back."

"Oh, yeah, right, when you put it like that, it sounds completely normal. _Fairies._ There's no such thing as fa-" He was cut off by Jillian hitting him.

"Don't you say that. Every time a child admits to not believing in fairies, a fairy dies. And they're awfully sweet little things, causing ones death is a horrible thing to have done." She placed her hands on her hips sternly, subconsciously trying to make herself look bigger.

Pan chuckled humorously. "You- you need help." He decided, starting to climb up the boxes.

"What- Where are you going?"

"Away."

"_Away?_"

"Away, are you thick? As in, not here."

"You're awful." Jillian huffed.

"Not relevant at the moment." He hoped he used the word "relevant" correctly.

"Just wait!" She grabbed his arm. "Just wait a minute! They're coming, I know they are."

"Who?"

"The fairies!" She dropped his arm and paced a bit. "Don't you listen?" She paused. "Listen…"

"What are you-"

"Sh!" Jillian put a finger to her lips, listening intently, before she whispered, "Do you hear that?"

"No."

"Sh!" Another pause. "Listen…"

Pan did. He didn't hear anything. "I don't know what you hear." He admitted.

"It's… ringing… chiming… music. Don't you hear it? Like the chiming of bells. Close your eyes. Listen. _Believe. _Pan, believe in fairies. Just for a moment. Please."

They stared at each other for a moment, before he nodded. "Close your eyes." Jillian whispered. He looked once more at her, and obeyed. "Do you remember being young?" Her voice was soft, but there was an edge in it, excitement, possibly. Pan shook his head "no" slowly, honestly.

"I am young." He muttered.

She laughed lightly. "Younger."

"No."

"Then you'll have to work extra hard." She said simply. "Open your mind up, to… everything." Pan was about to protest that didn't make sense, but she went on. "Try to remember the first time you experienced something so incredible, you didn't believe it. Recall the surprise, the wonder. Everything."

Here Pan ran into another problem. He couldn't remember what ever feeling like that. This was all making him incredibly sad, he wanted to stop, but he went on, opening his mind, curiosity, wonder in. He tried, and tried, but he couldn't hear anything. Not the faintest bell.

"I can't." He whispered, and opened his eyes in frustration. He was greeted by a blindingly bright light before his eyes. He called out and lost balance, falling from the boxes. He stayed on the ground a moment, blinking, unable to see. When he finally could make things out, he saw Jillian hovering over him, (Although, not actual hovering, not yet) two bright lights, the size of his fists buzzing about. "Are those-?"

"Fairies. You can only see them when they want you to." She explained.

"I still don't hear them,"

"Then you still don't believe." Jillian sounded saddened by that.

"But, how can I not? They're right in front of me." He watched as the flitted around the room, checking in all the boxes and corners, filling the darkness with a soft glow.

"Oh, Pan." Her voice was soft, her tone was pitying. "Seeing and believing are two very different things."

"I want to believe."

"Then do it." It was a challenge.

Pan closed his eyes and concentrated, concentrated very hard, for what felt like a long time. He growled in frustration, giving up again. He was giving himself a headache. He wanted to know what they sounded like so badly. He kept his eyes closed, letting his mind wander to all the possible sounds the fairies could be making. He ran through many different possibilities. None of them were right, none delicate, light enough. He started muttering "No" to himself. "No... No… No…" There it was. The chime, the right one. Closer, so real. So real. Too real. He opened his eyes, to see a fairy in front of him, chittering away. He absolutely gaped at the small light. Jillian grinned, knowingly.

"I can hear her."


	4. Off To Neverland

"That one's Tinkerbell." Jillian introduced.

"Tinkerbell." He breathed, in awe of the small, glowing figure. He couldn't make out any features, she moved around too much. "Hi, Tinkerbell." He was greeted by another flurry of bells. The other fairy was jingling too, but it somehow wasn't _as_ rhythmic, entrancing... Or maybe he just preferred this fairy.

Jillian raised her eyebrows. "She seems to like you an awful lot… In fact, it's possible she's _your _fairy."

"What do you mean?" He didn't look at her, never taking his off the winged creature.

"Well, we can't know for sure until we get to Neverland… But it's possible she's your fairy. Everyone… Er, everyone _should_ have a fairy. It's... A story for another time." She brushed off. Feeling it was too morbid for the moment.

"_My fairy._" He liked the thought of that, the sound, the possessiveness, and what it's implication of that could be. It was an exciting thought. "How will I know? Why did you say _should?_"

Jillian smiled. "Come with me, and I'll explain everything. Pan noted the other fairy had perched on her shoulder, and except a slight flutter of her wings, was still. That one had long black hair, and golden skin that glimmered, possibly due to the fact it wasn't skin, but small, unnoticeable feathers, like a small bird. Her wings, however, were more insect-like, shaped like a butterflies, the same material as a drangonfly. But the most enchanting thing wasn't her wings or her glow, but her eyes. They were all iris, with pinpricks of pupils. They were ice blue and round, every detail of them like something one would see on an exotic bird. He wished that Tinkerbell would hold still, he would so like to examine her. "Is that your fairy?"

Jillian nodded. "Gemma, her name is. I've known her since I was small."

"You've lived in Neverland then?"

"Yes, for a long time."

"How do we get there?"

A slow smile spread across her face, eyes glinting once more. "There's only one way?"

"Are you planning on telling me or are you just going to continue to taunt me?" He let the annoyance bleed through his voice.

Jillian scrunched her nose, slightly. "The only way is to fly."

"_Fly?_" Moments later, he wouldn't have believed her. Moments ago, he didn't. But with these fairies here… There was no denying it.

"Fly." She repeated, voice somewhat dreamy, fully adventurous.

"With them?" He gestured to the fairies, feeling quite clever. Jillian nodded, boosting his self-approval even more. "Oh, the cleverness of me." He smirked, only to be shot down when Jillian snorted.

"That doesn't classify as clever." She muttered. Pan felt his cheeks burn, and he looked away, pretending not to hear her, not knowing how to respond to it.

"Well, let's get on with it then." He sneered, after several moments of quietness, save Tinkerbell's constant chimes.

Jillian narrowed her eyes at his rudeness, but was starting to become more used to it. "Of course." She said evenly. "Gemma, Tink?" She asked sweetly, knowing they would understand her implications. Gemma stretched with a yawn, and stood up on Jillian's shoulder, shaking herself off, causing a flurry of glitter to fall onto it, soon after disappearing. "Tink," She warned, as the fairy started to flit around excitedly. "Don't overdo it." She laughed. The fairy seemed to hear, but took no heading to it. She flew in loops, a large amount of the dust, roughly the size of Pan's head, gathered in the middle, shimmering and fully lightly the dank room. Jillian sighed, and promptly moved behind some boxes, Gemma in tow.

"Tinkerbell?" Pan asked cautiously. "I think that should do it." Tink stopped abruptly. She pulled her tiny arms back, the great ball of shimmering dust moving back with it, and pushed forward. The ball went spiraling towards Pan, hitting him in the face. It didn't hurt, if anything, it was nice and warm. But something did feel odd. He shook the feeling off briefly, looking down excitedly to see if he was off the ground. To his disappointment, he was not. He looked for Jillian. "Why am I not-no-o" The feeling was had returned, stronger, growing from the back of his throat, making his way slowly to his head.

Jillian appeared, floating above the boxes with ease, a slight glimmer to her from yet-disappeared dust. "Don't sneeze." She advised. "It will hurt."

Frowned slightly, before feeling his face overcome with what he knew was an odd expression, but couldn't help, which annoyed him. "I'm try-trying not-not- to-oo- ah-ah-" She flew up to him gracefully, putting her finger horizontally under his nose.

"Seriously. Don't sneeze." She repeated.

He frowned and kept his mouth shut, feeling strange inside from the dust, and outside from having a girl touching his face. He looked at her for a moment, examining her face. With the new light, courtesy of the fairies, he could examine her face better. She had dull green eyes, the kind one would simply assume to be brown or blue without closer examination. It occurred to him she was wasn't ugly, not anything special, but not ugly, which was nice, as he would probably be forced into spending quite a bit of time with her. The feeling settled some, and he nodded. "Thank you." He said dismissively, not quite sure what else to. She grinned, her grin wasn't as pretty, her teeth were rather uneven and one canine, that seemed to be growing in, stuck out high from her gum. Still, he had seen worse.

"Alright." She pulled her away, flying back some.

As soon as she did so, he sneezed. "**_Achoo!_**"

Pan lifted into the air and was sent flying back, hitting the wall with a _bang_. Dust shook from the pillars above, boxes rattled and those living on above the shop woke up, and began moving about, fearing a robbery. Jillian laughed. The impact hurt, but Pan was more too preoccupied to be complain or be embarrassed. "I'm flying!" He spun in the air, wobbly, before losing balance. The voices from above started to grow closer.

Jillian flew back, and grabbed his wrist, and dragged him through the small window, the fairies fluttering behind them, causing boxes and pebbles to hover in their wake.

If only the man and wife of the house had made it to the storage room just a moment earlier, they would have gotten to witness a moment of excitement and wonderment. Instead, they were left looking around at floating boxes with confused expressions.

They never did learn how that happened.


End file.
